Volunteer Contributor

Dr. Renato L. Cerdeña

Noel Mondragon

Erlyn Taduran

Jeff Javier

Rico Hizon

Ray Jones Balneg

MaryGrace Balinos

Ozzy Boy Nicopior

Vic Bato

Cecil de Castro

"I got my BS Biology major in Ecology from UPLB, hopefully will graduate from my MS Environmental Science and Ecosystem Management from DLSU if I manage to finish my comprehensive exam this march. On jobs, I worked for an aquaculture company based in Palawan for 2 years. I've been all over Palawan and lived on an island from time to time. I was a Project Officer for an EU project and a Technical assistant for a UNDP project all on making sustainable development and protection plans for ancestral domains. . . I worked with around 30 Indigenous Peoples all over the country from Abra to Zamboanga . . I've been around a lot. . . the only place I haven't been is Region 8 which is the Samar Leyte area. I've crossed rivers, climbed mountains, walked for days, experienced huge waves, had been on a helicopter which had to make an emergency landing, took 14-hour bus trips, been "checked" at so many "checkpoints", been to so many places where other people would not dare go to, especially in Mindanao. . . so nothing would ever surprise or discourage me anymore. . . But on all my travels and encounters with so many kinds of people trying to bring "development" what I always remember is my Palawan days. And I'm always glad to hear news from my Pala'wan, Molbog and Muslim friends from Balabac. Working with them, I guess partly made who I am, professionally, at least. Mindanao is also a favorite place coming from Luzon (lived my entire life within Laguna and Metro Manila) I appreciated Mindanao more when I travel around there."

Robert Bugna

"It began when my boss asked me to make maps using Autocad. This was my very first encounter with GIS. Although a Computer Science Graduate, I paid little attention to GIS. Until I went looking for thesis topics in my MS IT at TUP Manila. I started as a web programmer in one of the office in Ortigas. Then I worked as a technical support representative in one of the call centers companies also in Ortigas. For 6 months, I worked for Local Garments as their Technical Support Staff. Currently, I'm working as a Contractual IT support for one of the leading Telecommunications Company here in the Philippines.
During free time, I usually play computer games, code computer scripts and applications and assemble/ disassemble electronic stuffs. I do some bodybuilding and running when time allows.
Since the mapping opportunity came, I'm usually tasked with map making when my boss requires our group to do it. My skills grew more as I've learned some new tools such as MapInfo, QGIS and a lot more. With my knowledge of databases , It went more lively when important details were filled in. What I'm seeing for myself here as a challenge is to redraw the incorrect drawn portions of the maps here in the Philippines. I know that I'm not alone because there are people out there that are willing to help to change the quality of GIS and mapmaking here in our Country."

Robert has been helping joining the PSGC codes to the provinces' database.

Xavier Fuentes

"I’m just a regular GIS guy who is a part-time GIS consultant in Mindanao and a full-time GIS hobbyist. I also specialize in integrating GPS devices with GIS applications and building for myself some sort of automated-field-collection equipment. My educational background is in life sciences and a masters degree in environmental management but I am currently taking a formal course in programming to augment my GIS software development skills. Aside from software development, I am also into database server setup and administration."